Automatic signaling device.



J A. HODAM.

AUTOMATIC SIGNALING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 15. 1914.

LJLWJQQ, PatentedSept. 5,1916.

w'ihwooeo JOSEPH A. HODAIVI, OF LINCOLN, NEBRASKA.

AUTOMATIC SIGNALING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 5, 1916.

Application filed May 15, 1914. Serial No. 838,836.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Josnrrr A. HoDAM, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lincoln, in the county of Lancaster and State of Nebraska, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Signaling Devices, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an automatic signaling device to be used as a danger signal at or adjacent railway crossings or the like.

As its primary object, the invention contemplates a structure wherein a signaling device may be automatically moved into and out of a danger indicating position, the means employed to actuate said device being positioned adjacent the railway track and being operable by engagment of movable means therewith.

The invention as a further object aims to provide, means, such in its nature, as to be acted upon by an approaching train to automatically bring said device into a position indicating danger, and as the train passes the danger point, to again be actuated, the second actuation automatically returning the said signaling device into a non-indicating position, at the same time automatically conditioning the device to be subsequently acted upon in a similar manner.

The above and additional objects are accomplished by such means as are illustrated in their preferred embodiment in the accompanying drawings, described in the following specification and then more particularly pointed out in the claim which is appended hereto and forms a part of this application.

In describing my invention in detail reference will be had to the accompanying drawings wherein like characters designate like or corresponding parts throughout the several views, and in which Figure 1 is a side elevation, the flag being swung into a non-indicating position; Fig. 2 is a similar view, the flag having been swung into an indicating position; Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the device as illustratedin Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view of one of the operating devices employed to actuate the flag; and-Fig. 5 is an enlarged top plan view of the actuating drum.

Referring now to the drawings by nuthe other of the said peripheral grooves 4,

the latter element 7 being fastened at its opposite end to the interior of a vertically reciprocable cylinder 9 operating within a case 10 therefor. Flexible element 6 is attached at its opposite end to a second cylinder 11 preferably as indicated at 12, said element 6 operating over a roller 13 within said cylinder 11 and over a pulley 1'41 carried by casing 15 within which cylinder 11 operates, the said element passing through an elongated opening or slot 16 in the side of the cylinder, preferably as shown in Fig. 4. Attached to shaft 17 upon which drum 8 is mounted, is a flag staff 18 upon the free end of which a signaling device or flag 19 is mounted, said flag staff and flag being normally positioned as shown in Fig. 1.

The exposed end of the respective cylinders 9 and 11 are disposed at an inclination as indicated at 20 and in the path of suitable means (not shown) carried by a moving train, said means being engageable with the said cylinders to provide for the automatic operation of the signaling device.

Operation is as follows: As the approaching train passes cylinder 9, the actuating means carried by said train engages said cylinder, depressing the same, and causing flexible element 7 to be actuated and drum 3 to which said element is attached as at 8 to be partially turned. Signaling device comprising elements 18 and 19 being mounted upon the shaft 17 upon which drum 3 is mounted, it is apparent that the said device is swung into an indicating position, or as illustrated in Fig. 2, in which position it will remain until returned to its normal position by engagement of the actuating means with the second cylinder 11 also connected to the drum by flexible element 6. The cylinders 9 and 11 are arranged in widely spaced relation and upon opposite sides of the drum 3, the cylinder 9 being first engaged to swing the signaling device into an indicating position, and the cylin- From the foregoing, taken in connection,

7 with the accompanying drawings it is apparent that the operation of cylinder 9 will automatically position cylinder 11 to be subsequently engaged by the actuating means carried by the moving train; that the engagement of the said actuating means with cylinder 11 will automatically return cylinder 9 to the position indicated in Fig. 1 to be again actuated in the eventof a second train passing the said danger point; and that by attaching the elements 6 and 7 as indicated in Fig. 5 it is apparent that the drum will be partially turned to swing the signaling device out of a danger posi- 131011., 3

In reduction to practice, I have found that the form of my invention, illustrated in the drawings and referred to in the above description, as the preferred embodiment, is the most eflicient and practical; yet realizing that the conditions concurrent with the adoption of my device will necessarily vary, I desire to emphasize the fact that Copies of this patent may be obtained for various minor changes in details of construction, proportion and arrangement of parts'may be resorted to, when required, without sacrificing any of the advantages of my invention, as defined in the appended claim.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

An operating means for signaling devices, an open top cylinder, a hollow cylindrical member movable within said cylinder and projecting exteriorly thereof through said open top, said member having a slot formed therein, a roller mounted on the cylinder adjacent said slot, and an actuating line fastened at one end upon the interior of said hollow member said line passing through said slot and operating over said roller to extend without said cylinder, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOSEPH A. HODAM.

Witnesses:

C. E. MoCoLLUM, O. W. MEIER.

Washington, D. 0. 

